The difference of just one word

Maybe it was flying into KL that took me back more than 15 years ago when I last flew to KL. I was ending a two week Asia business trip. I had already been to three countries and I am not sure how many factories. I was flying from Shanghai to KL on a Chinese airline. I was upgraded to business class for what that was worth. Partway through the flight when we were probably over southwest China the flight attendant made an announcement in Chinese first and then in English said, "please fasten your seat belts, the plane is experiencing trouble."

I fastened my seat belt and the Lord and I began to talk. I wasn't sure if I would be seeing him face to face soon or what was going to happen.

The plane began to bounce and bump and I realized that the word that the flight attendant meant to say was turbulence. There is a difference between trouble and turbulence when you are in an airplane. Turbulence I can handle. Trouble is another thing that I really don't want to experience when on an airplane.

Of course there has to be a lesson in that.

There is the simple lesson of learning to use the word correctly.

There is the lesson of how valuable it is to pick our words carefully. Different words have different meanings. I am thinking about that has we just finished training and a big part of the training was on language and culture learning so that you can share the Good News.

There is also the lesson of our words and how they impact others. Just one word can make a difference.  I need to be careful in the words that I use so that my words will bless others.

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer." Psalm 19:14

Here are the kids in KL. If you count transferring in the airport as being in the country then my kids have a new country to add to their list of places they have been too.

Beth